Cut from the Chase, Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon

San FranciscoArt & Culture

A Man of Letters

Typography maestro spells out sculptural collection...

Comic Sans walks into a bar and orders a pint of Guinness. The barman looks at him and says: “Sorry, we don’t serve your type in here.” You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to use that typography joke, especially since it’s my only one – but now it’s written down it’s not nearly as funny as it was in my head. Ah well. Readers interested in the shape of words will certainly enjoy Cut from the Chase, a solo show by Barcelona-based man of letters Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon, a lot more.

RIPO uses wordplay in every sense in this collection of 20 works, featuring ink, spray-paint, watercolours and one-shot enamel on hand-cut paper, and in fact his ostensibly 2D pieces are often so multi-layered as to border on sculpture. The native New Yorker employs calligraphy, graffiti and signage to produce his chaotic but absorbing pieces. Cut from The Chase is on display at San Francisco’s White Walls Project Space until 9th April.

Cut from the Chase, Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon Cut from the Chase, Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon Cut from the Chase, Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon Cut from the Chase, Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon Cut from the Chase, Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon Cut from the Chase, Max ‘RIPO’ Rippon